The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association announced the results of the association’s September 2013 Business Council Steering Committee elections. The Business Council Steering Committees are the association’s primary constituent bodies and are an integral part of ELFA’s operations, providing critical input on the direction of the association and serving as a bridge between the membership and the Board of Directors and staff. Each committee analyzes the needs of companies in the segment it represents and recommends to the Board of Directors how to meet those needs. The committee members are elected by the Business Council membership for a term of two years on a staggered basis.

The Captive and Vendor Finance Business Council Steering Committee represents financial services organizations that provide sales-assisted financing and vendor and manufacturer support activities, either on a third-party or captive basis. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2014. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2013 elections.

• Daniel Krajewski, Direct Capital (Chair)
• Shawn Arnone, RBS Citizens Asset Finance*
• Ron Arrington, CIT (Board Liaison)
• James Cress, Stryker Finance
• James Elwood, Bank of the West
• Vincent Faino, LEAF Commercial Capital*
• Keith Large, AGCO Finance*
• Gregory Larson, Creekridge Capital
• Brian Madison, Key Equipment Finance*
• Thomas Vasilakos, PNC Equipment Finance
• Maryann von Seggern, Cisco Capital
• Daniel Waller, GE Capital Markets*
• David Walton, Caterpillar Financial Services*

The Financial Institutions Business Council Steering Committee represents bank-related organizations and other financial institutions (commercial banks, investment banks, and multi-line finance companies) involved in single transactions over $5 million. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2014. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2013 elections.

• Lori Frasier, Key Equipment Finance (Chair)
• Robert Blee, GE Capital Markets Group*
• Thomas Cira, Bridge Capital Leasing, Inc.
• David Coutu, MassMutual Asset Finance, LLC*
• Andre Crompton, Sterling National Bank
• Jeffry Elliott, Huntington Equipment Finance*
• David Farrell, Banc of America Leasing*
• Randall Gaston, Prime Alliance Bank*
• Brian Griffin, MB Financial Bank (Board Liaison)*
• Dan McKew, Capital One Equipment Leasing and Finance
• David Miele, RBS Citizens Asset Finance*
• Russell Nelson, Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation
• Kirk Philips, AIG Commercial Asset Finance
• Roderick Roberts, Prudential Capital Group*
• Alan Sikora, First American Equipment Finance, A City National Bank Company

The Independent Middle Market Business Council Steering Committee represents non-bank-related organizations primarily involved in transactions between $250,000 and $5 million, either individually or through lines. The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2014. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2013 elections.

• David Mirsky, Pacific Rim Capital (Chair)*
• Craig Ault, CSI Leasing
• Andrew Bender, GSG Financial
• William Besgen, Hitachi Capital America (Board Liaison)
• Michael Brigante, Nations Equipment Finance*
• Conrad Eimers, Vision Financial Group*
• John Heist, Jr., Summit Funding Group
• Brian Holland, Fleet Advantage*
• Gary LoMonaco, Forsythe/McArthur Associates
• Deborah Monosson, Boston Financial & Equity
• Tom Rutherford, TIP Capital*
• Quinn Scullion, Somerset Capital Group
• Rob Stowers, PHH Arval
• Neil Whitman, NewStar Equipment Finance

The Service Providers Business Council Steering Committee represents companies that providing a variety of services in support of the equipment finance industry, including legal, accounting, software and systems support, and other specialized professional services.  The following individuals will serve on the committee in 2014. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2013 elections.

• Curt Lysne, Portfolio Financial Servicing Company (Chair)
• Brett Boehm, TBF Financial
• Josh Bridge, Capgemini Financial Services USA
• Susan Carol, Susan Carol Associates Public Relations (Board Liaison)
• Alex Darcy, Askounis & Darcy, P.C.*
• Jeff Dicosola, Great American Insurance
• Jon Gerson, Executive Solutions for Leasing and Finance*
• Mitch Kaufman, IFS Technology Solutions, Inc.*
• Daniel Nelson, Tamarack Consulting*
• Barry Ripes, Paynet
• Michael Toglia, Equipment Finance Advisor*
• Jeff Van Slyke, LeaseTeam, Inc.*

The Small Ticket Business Council Steering Committee represents financial services organizations primarily involved in transactions under $250,000, either individually or through lines. The following individuals will serve on the committee  in 2014. Asterisks indicate members who were newly elected or re-elected in the September 2013 elections.

• David Verkinderen, US Bank Equipment Finance (Chair)
• John Beard, LEAF Commercial Capital*
• Jeffrey Berg, De Lage Landen Financial Services
• Hugh Connelly, Univest Capital, Inc.*
• Kris Darby, Western Equipment Finance, Inc.
• Dawn Gillette, Direct Capital Corporation*
• Jack Haynes, Wells Fargo Financial Leasing, Inc.
• Miles Herman, LEAF Commercial Capital (Board Liaison)
• Terey Jennings, Financial Pacific Leasing, LLC
• Marty Klees, GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation
• Paul Knowlton, Union Bank*
• David Normandin, Pac Trust Bank*
• Mark Scarigli, Marlin Leasing Corporation*
• Carl Zwilling, Summit Funding Group, Inc*

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $827 billion equipment finance sector, which includes financial services companies and manufacturers engaged in financing capital goods. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the U.S. and abroad. Its 580 members include independent and captive leasing and finance companies, banks, financial services corporations, broker/packagers and investment banks, as well as manufacturers and service providers. For more information, please visit www.elfaonline.org. Follow ELFA on Twitter @ELFAonline.